Pink Shirt Day in Oxford County

Wednesday, 28 February 2024 09:33

Today is Pink Shirt Day, so everyone is being encouraged to wear the colour to take a stand against bullying.

OXFORD COUNTY - Lots of people will be sporting the colour pink today to stand up against bullying.

The Pink Shirt Day campaign started in Nova Scotia back in 2007 when a Grade 9 boy was bullied for wearing the colour to school. A group of his classmates decided to wear the colour the next day as a show of support.

The campaign has significantly grown since then, with people in almost 180 countries across the globe participating last year.

Here in Oxford County, Erica Hughes with Big Brothers Big Sisters says bullying continues to affect the youth they support.

"One of the number one contributors the youth on our waitlist report as being one of their adverse childhood experiences is bullying, with about 80 percent of the youth reporting that."

Several local organizations are encouraging people to wear pink today including the OPP and the Thames Valley District School Board.

Pink Shirt Day is always on the last Wednesday of February and everyone is encouraged to take a picture of themselves wearing the colour and post it with #PinkShirtDay.

On #PinkShirtDay, we wear pink to show our commitment to stopping bullying in our schools and community. Tag us with a picture of you in your pink shirt to show your support. pic.twitter.com/7DUH05L0P4
— Thames Valley DSB (@TVDSB) February 28, 2024

Today is National #PinkShirtDay. It's a day to stand against bullying and a day of support for victims. If you're being bullied, contact police. @CdnChildProtect Click ALT for handy links to resources that can help you or someone you love.⬇️ ^dr pic.twitter.com/DMJKQ9qtSl
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) February 28, 2024

We proudly donned our pink shirts for #PinkShirtDay to unite against bullying in all forms! We strive to ensure Woodstock Hospital is an inclusive, diverse and respectful environment. We promote kindness and empathy and feel that shines throughout our organization. pic.twitter.com/oYHs3JJ57M
— Woodstock Hospital (@WdskHospital) February 28, 2024\

Happy Pink Shirt Day!

This year, we partnered with Tad from Bullying Ends Here, to provide anti-bullying messaging to local schools & youth organizations in our community! Thank you Tad for sharing your story!#BullyingEndsHere #SpeadKindness #PinkShirtDay pic.twitter.com/ilihcI3fwZ
— Woodstock Police Service (@Woodstock_PS) February 28, 2024